Hess BlogHess Bloghttp://www.gameinformer.com/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/atom.aspxCommunity Server2011-03-31T08:31:00ZAre Video Games Associated With Problem Behaviors?/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/11/22/are-video-games-associated-with-problem-behaviors.aspx2011-11-22T02:33:00Z2011-11-22T02:33:00Z<p style="text-align:justify;"><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Blogs-Components-WeblogFiles/00-00-01-24-54/7230.Kids-Playing-Video-Games.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">I play lots of video games. I always have. Ever since I was five-years-old video games have been intricately tied to my social development. I started conversations with peers about how far they could get in Sonic 2. I built one of my most enduring relationships on a trade I made for Mortal Kombat 2. My brother and I bonded while taking down the despicable Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time. My Dad taught me that blowing in the Super Mario Bros. 3 cartridge could get it to work. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">And just today I popped in Donkey Kong Country Returns for some multiplayer platforming action. The point being that, in my experience, video games have been a tool for bringing people together. What was more important to my happiness today, shaking the Wii Remote to blow out some candles or sharing a laugh with some of my closest friends after shouting &ldquo;GET ON THE F**KING WHALE!&rdquo;?</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">It was the laughs.<br /><br />While not all games are multiplayer, I feel I&rsquo;d be hard pressed to find a game that doesn&rsquo;t promote social interaction. Even though Skyrim is single-player, I&rsquo;m still asking people where they found this particular mask or telling them how I got to this settlement. I talk about my character and ask others what&rsquo;s working for them, because &ldquo;gamers&rdquo; or &ldquo;players&rdquo; or whatever you want to call them, are members of a community. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:small;"><br /><i><span style="color:#808080;">community |kəˈmyoōnitē|<br />noun ( pl. <b>-ties</b>)</span></i></span><i><span style="color:#808080;"><span style="font-size:small;"> a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals </span></span></i></p>
<p><span style="color:#888888;">
</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">This doesn&rsquo;t have to mean every person playing games, or even fans of a particular game, it means those two other people playing with me. We are all trying to collect the letters K-O-N-G.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">But, I&rsquo;m 22. This has always been the definition of multiplayer to me, so what does it mean when a 13-year-old can virtually anonymously interact with mass numbers of people? What does it mean to them when their digital person is shooting the other digital person in the head? What happens when their parents have fallen so out of touch that they don&rsquo;t even talk about what&rsquo;s taking place? I don&rsquo;t know the answer but I&rsquo;m willing to bet that this sense of &ldquo;community&rdquo; can start to break down. And suddenly, a child using a fake character to shoot another in the face is something much different than jumping on a crab with a cartoon gorilla.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">I played Quake, Goldeneye, and even Doom as a child, so I have nothing personally against violent shooters or those who play them, but I came across an article that piqued my interest on how they can affect kids. As I searched I came across a few more studies on how video games affect various populations in different ways. I decided I&rsquo;d like to present some of the results and see how people on this gaming website, in this <b>community</b>, feel about them. So, after this lengthy introduction, I&rsquo;ll present a study about how internet use and video gaming predict problem behavior in early adolescence. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Holtz, M. Appel. <i>Journal of Adolescence,</i> 34 (2011) 49&ndash;58. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Let me start by saying this will not be filled with statistical mumbo jumbo. As a Psych student at UC Davis, it was a common chore to scrutinize the tables and charts to come away with something meaningful. That something is all I wish to offer. <br /><br />The study aims to connect various game and internet related variables with problem behaviors. I&rsquo;ll unpack those terms in a minute, but let&rsquo;s start by looking at the participants in the study. This sample of Austrian youths was comprised of 100 boys and 105 girls. They were all between the ages of 10 and 14, with an average of 12.71. They were from both rural and urban areas and participated in the study in 2007. So it was a normal group of Austrian kids.<br /><br />Each completed a questionnaire on various topics, including: access to computer/internet, favorite games, how long s/he played each day, types of internet use, and whether his or her parents talked about internet use or were aware of its uses. They basically wanted to know how the kids used the internet and the content of the games they played.<br /><br />They also completed the German version of the Youth Self Report (YSR), &ldquo;an empirically derived, well established, and widely used instrument with excellent psychometric properties.&rdquo; This is how the researchers determined whether or not the child exhibited &ldquo;problem behaviors&rdquo;. They looked at three separate measures from the self report: Total Problems, Internalizing Problems, and Externalizing Problems. The Total Problems score is a summary of all behavior problem items, but the other two categories are much more specific (and informative). Internalizing Problems include: withdrawn behavior, anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints (bodily issues without physiological cause). Externalizing problems are more of the aggressive and delinquent behaviors. <br /><br />Prior research revealed a connection between playing violent games and aggression. Violent media content can desensitize the viewer (or player, or &ldquo;experiencer&rdquo;) to not only media violence but real-life violence, according to the General Aggressiveness Model. In theory, the common experience of violence causes stable patterns of aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to develop over time. This study aims to go a step or two further, by not only correlating violent games with externalizing problems, but also linking fantasy games and MMORPGs with internalizing behaviors, and lack of parent-child communication with problem behaviors as a whole. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><br /><img src="http://guide2games.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/cs-source4.jpg" style="max-width:610px;" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The results, while debatable, are clear. Adolescents, who spend more time on video games and the internet than any other group, may be vulnerable to developing problem behaviors. Because this is a correlational test, it can assert no cause-effect relationships. It can only make claims that if this behavior or condition is present, it is likely that behavior will be too. And the study found that aggression and delinquency could be predicted by internet communication, the amount of online gaming, and by playing FPSs (of which <i>CounterStrike</i> was the favorite). More than half of fantasy game players presented internalizing behavior problems, much larger than those who preferred other types of games. And, parent-child communication was negatively correlated with problem behaviors. I know I said I&rsquo;d leave out the tables, but in summary: <br /><br />FPS = aggressive/delinquent<br />Fantasy = depressed/anxious<br />More parent talk = less problems</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><img src="http://gamepolitics.com/files/blogimages/wow_1.jpg" style="max-width:610px;" border="0" alt="" /><br /><br />Obviously, these findings aren&rsquo;t fact and this doesn&rsquo;t mean that if you play <i>World of Warcraft</i> you are a loner. What they mean is that if you know someone plays <i>WoW</i>, there is a higher chance they will be a loner than if they played <i>CounterStrike</i>. There are obviously (and admittedly) many issues with the study, but as a starting point for discussion, what do the findings mean to you? Would you filter what games your kids play because it could impact their social development, or encourage your lonely child to play <i>WoW</i> because that&rsquo;s what he prefers? I think we, as a gaming community, have a unique opportunity to look at these findings and tease apart what may be valuable information, and what&rsquo;s crap. I don&rsquo;t know about you, but my monthly subscription the the <i>Journal of Adolescence</i> ran out, so I missed this article. Now I think this information has found it&rsquo;s way into the right hands, so it is our responsibility to find out what it really means. <br /><br />Maybe my dad teaching me to blow into that NES cartridge meant more than I know...</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Keep an eye out for another review like this concerning the effects of pathological gaming on aggressive behavior.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=1475319" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxPortal: No Escape/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/08/23/portal-no-escape.aspx2011-08-23T16:17:00Z2011-08-23T16:17:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/6201.S.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Commercial director Dan Trachtenberg has debuted his short <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4drucg1A6Xk&amp;feature=share"><i>Portal: No Escape</i></a> (based on the VALVe series) on YouTube today. It&#39;s a beautiful movie and I am impressed with the portal effects and the look of the gun. I think it&#39;s very well put together and shows off a little of what a full on film could feature. It doesn&#39;t show our main character (Chell or another test subject?) in any traditional test chambers with the portal gun, but I like the tricks in combat and the launching. I don&#39;t know if this would work as a full length film, but I think this proves that the franchise would have some Hollywood potential.</p>
<p> Portal 2 is easily in my top three games of all time and while I am eagerly awaiting the September DLC, this will no doubt hold me over. It stars Danielle Rayne.</p>
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<p>Let me know what you think in the comments below!!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=1170431" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat Legacy, Episode 9- Cyrax and Sektor/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/07/26/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-9-cyrax-and-sektor.aspx2011-07-26T17:26:00Z2011-07-26T17:26:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/6557.cyrax.png" border="0" height="383" width="610" alt="" />Kano returns with the Grand Master of the Lin Kuei and an old white doctor to create LK4D4 and LK9T9, aka Cyrax and Sektor. Some of the best CGI in the series highlights this beautiful episode. I really like the look of the cyborgs. Watch how they transform from loyal human members of the Lin Kuei to emotionless prototypes for a new breed of warrior. </p>
<p>I&#39;m wondering if there will be a second season of the series because I really enjoyed most of the episodes. I&#39;d prefer a new live-action feature film but I don&#39;t know if these shorts were enough to convince Warner Bros. that a new project would be profitable.</p>
<p>Check out the whole season right <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/show?p=VkIoQKmEa4I&amp;tracker=show_av">here</a> on Machinima&#39;s YouTube channel and, as always, let me know what you think of this season finale in the comments. </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this media)</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=1092253" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat Legacy, Episode 8: Scorpion and Sub Zero, Part 2/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/06/01/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-8-scorpion-and-sub-zero-part-2.aspx2011-06-01T03:54:00Z2011-06-01T03:54:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/7510.finalscorp.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>So here it is, the conclusion to the Scorpion and Sub Zero story in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/show/mortalkombatlegacy">Mortal Kombat Legacy</a>. I liked the set up in part one, but that&#39;s all it was: a set up. So now, we get to see the pay off and it is... OK.&nbsp; </p>
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<p>Scorpion has always been my favorite and I really enjoy this
characterization of him. Over the years I feel the character has become
more sympathetic as a part of his popularity, and how he is portrayed in
this series is indicative of where the character is now.</p>
<p>The slowed down parts of the fight scene look cheesy and cheap but there is something about seeing that spear that is like seeing batman glide: you&#39;ve seen it so many times in so many ways but it&#39;s too classic to ever be a disappointment. The cracked frozen bodies looked pretty good but the freezing effects... not so much. I like the story of this episode and the inclusion of Quan Chi, but he looks and sounds so lame. All of these episodes have been neat, but looking back, they are all so short, I feel like 8-10 mins just isn&#39;t enough time to tell these stories. Heres hoping for a new live action movie :) <br /><br />Let me know how you liked the episode in the comments.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=959059" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat Legacy, Episode 7: Scorpion and Sub Zero, Part 1/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/05/30/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-7-scorpion-and-sub-zero-part-1.aspx2011-05-30T16:09:00Z2011-05-30T16:09:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/3750.subzero.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Well, part two of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/show/mortalkombatlegacy">Mortal Kombat Legacy</a> Scorpion and Sub-Zero story will debut tonight at midnight, so if you need to catch up, now is the time. Let me tell you that part one is really good and it is leaves you on the edge of your seat for tonight&#39;s conclusion (of this story, not the season). It stars Ian Anthony Dale, reprising his role as Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) from Rebirth, and Kevan Ohtsji as Bi Han (Sub Zero). The episode revolves around Scorpion&#39;s life as an assassin, leader of the Shirai Ryu, husband, and father, before things change dramatically with the appearance of the Lin Kuei. Apart from the awful Japanese, the acting is good and the little bit of action is satisfying. Also, I really enjoyed the setting and tone of this episode. We have all heard the classic story, from bits and pieces in MK1 and MK Mythologies, to the story mode in MK9, but this should be the definitive version*.</p>
<h4>(*Except for <i>The Journey Begins</i>, of course)</h4>
<h4><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/6644.scorpionTJB.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></h4>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I don&#39;t want to spoil anything so check out the episode below and let me know what you think in the comments.&nbsp; </p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this media)</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=955182" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat: Legacy- Episode 6, Raiden/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/05/21/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-6-raiden.aspx2011-05-21T03:03:00Z2011-05-21T03:03:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/8424.mk-legacy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<h4><b>HEDEGEDAH!</b><br /></h4>
<p>Mortal Kombat: Legacy episode 5 was such a disappointment that I didn&#39;t even bother to post it. The two weeks of Kitana and Mileena really took away the momentum that was built up with the first 3 episodes, but I am more then delighted to say that episode 6 is incredible. A fresh look at Raiden&#39;s descent to Earth before making it to the Mortal Kombat tournament lands him on the grounds of a mental institution. Also, the overall feel is much closer to that of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDKCwEjc6DA">Rebirth</a> than any of the previous episodes. Watch it and let me know what you think (even though this is up almost a week late).</p>
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<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/3005.raiden.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size:x-small;">Lord Raiden</span></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=936581" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat: Legacy- Episode 4, Kitana and Mileena/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/05/03/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-4-kitana-and-mileena.aspx2011-05-03T16:11:00Z2011-05-03T16:11:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/2273.baby-mileena-mk.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Well, I guess I&#39;ve made a habit out of bringing the latest episode of <i>Mortal Kombat: Legacy</i> to the blogs. Check out the latest episode below and I&#39;ll give some comments following the video. Enjoy.</p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this media)<br /><br />Episode 4 feels very &quot;Mortal Kombat&quot; to me, as this is the first to deal directly with Shao Kahn and his realm-conquering ways. I like the narrated live-action and the story of the fall of Edenia. The relationship between Kitana and Mileena should make for and interesting episode next week, but I&#39;m hoping that an unrated version will be released with the animated bits in live action. It just seems like an odd choice to animate those scenes (and they don&#39;t look that impressive), so I&#39;m hoping they just did this for rating purposes late in the game. <br /><br />Also, apparently I was wrong last week about Shang Tsung in the end of episode 3, it does appear to be him and I am still just as unimpressed. As far as Shao Kahn goes, I like the costume choices they made, because his look in the games wouldn&#39;t translate very well to the real world. I do hope that if he appears in more battle-oriented episodes later on, he has his trademark mask and hammer.<br /><br />&nbsp;Oh, and Baraka is an Orc. <br /><br />Please comment and let me know what you thought of Episode 4.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=897350" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat: Legacy- Ep. 3, video and recap (SPOILERS, after the video)/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/04/26/mortal-kombat-legacy-ep-3-video-and-recap-spoilers-after-the-video.aspx2011-04-26T02:46:00Z2011-04-26T02:46:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/5584.johnny-cage-vs-thigs.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Episode three of <i>Mortal Kombat: Legacy</i> was released overnight with a significant change: it&rsquo;s censored. This is not a surprise, as we heard earlier in the week this would happen, but I have to admit that it takes some of the edge off. Check it out below or just read through my recap under the video.</p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this media)<br /><br />This episode starts off like an E! True Hollywood Story-type show on Johnny Cage. After learning of his past as a teenage heart throb on Power Rangers, we see his failed attempts at pitching a TV show about him fighting crime, to some suits. They turn around, after ending their development deal with Johnny (and telling him &ldquo;The action star is dead Johnny&rdquo;), and offer his idea to a beautiful actress. He overhears this and proceeds to beat the crap out of the executives and some security guards. As he&rsquo;s walking away, time is frozen and a little Asian man approaches him with an opportunity, presumably a chance to prove his moves are real in the Mortal Kombat tournament. I don&rsquo;t think the little guy is Shang Tsung because he is definitely missing the intimidation factor you&rsquo;d expect from a soul-stealing sorcerer. <br /><br />The acting is slightly more cheesy than the first couple of episodes (with a cameo by MK co-creator Ed Boon at 1:20), and though this was enjoyable, I really preferred the Jax/Kano/Sonya/Stryker story more. It&rsquo;s censored as I said before, so the bad words have been silenced, but they seem to have hit the mute button for a little too long in some instances. It&rsquo;s not a quick silence to interrupt the word like you&rsquo;d hear on the radio, I&rsquo;m surprised they didn&rsquo;t blur out their mouths as well. <br /><br />However, all&#39;s not lost as an uncensored version will hit on Friday, April 29 on the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima">Machinima YouTube channel</a>. Next week&#39;s episode will feature Kitana and Mileena, and as always, hit the comments and let me know what you think. </p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=880699" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat Is Back, And It's Better Than Ever/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/04/21/mortal-kombat-is-back-and-it-39-s-better-than-ever.aspx2011-04-21T04:21:00Z2011-04-21T04:21:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/5822.Mortalkombat2011logo1.png" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Seventeen years ago I saw a Fatality for the first time. I played Mortal Kombat at my brother&#39;s friend&#39;s house, and a year later I was borrowing Mortal Kombat II from a neighbor. Until Tuesday, that trip to Outworld was the quintessential fighting experience. For Christmas in 1996 my parents bought my two brothers and me a Nintendo 64 and three games: Goldeneye007 and Madden 64 for them, Mortal Kombat Trilogy for me. I&#39;ve played and completed every MK game, with the exception of Mythologies and Special Forces, and I can say, without a doubt, that this newest version of Mortal Kombat finishes them all. <br /></p>
<h2>Round 1</h2>
<p><br />Mortal Kombat offers everything that you&#39;d expect from the series and packs in so much extra that it feels like you&#39;re playing more than one game. The lengthy story mode retells the classic events of the first three games (with a few major changes), weaving the tale into chapters featuring specific fighters, similar to the story mode in MK vs DC. The scenes are animated with the in-game character models, which really shows off how impressive these fighters are (apart from the awkward hair), and the fully voice-acted dialogue manages to be delightfully MK in its ferocity and camp. It took me a little more than seven hours to complete but I could have easily shaved 45 minutes to an hour off of that had I not been dominated by the final boss for nearly 50 matches in a row. Until I figured out a good strategy, the ease with which this warrior dispatched me was a bit disheartening, which leads me to my main gripe with this game. <br /><br />Mortal Kombat has long been lauded for its multiplayer fighting, but the one-player ladder has been there for players like myself who have a hard time rounding up people to play with (read: no friends). The bosses have always been tough, to the point where I end up screaming that the game is cheating, but an added wrinkle makes these versions especially punishing. Reminiscent of the Rage feature in MKvsDC, these bosses can become temporarily impervious to your attacks. While they do take damage, they blast right through your attack and continue to pound your face. It&#39;s unpredictable and incredibly frustrating, especially when you think you have the Emperor set up for that final uppercut, only to have him smash your head with his hammer. It adds a level of difficulty that is more annoying than it is challenging. <br /></p>
<h2>Round Two</h2>
<p><br />The aforementioned Ladder mode can be augmented with the brand new Tag Team mode. Whether you&#39;re controlling both characters or playing along with a friend, the tag mode adds a ton of depth and strategy to the matches. It can also be played with three or four players in Versus mode. The addition of the Super Meter also adds a lot of planning to the matches, as it can be used incrementally to break opponent combos, enhance special moves, assist a tag team partner, or, when fully powered, deliver the devastating new X-Ray Move. The camera zooms in and shows the full internal damage of the the onslaught, shattering bones and lacerating organs, while doing roughly 40% damage. The fight goes online as well, offering standard versus matches, tag matches, and the new King of the Hill mode. This feature employs the &quot;winner stays&quot; strategy from the arcade days, while those waiting in line can cheer or jeer the fighters as they watch along, and even give respect points after the match.<br /><br />Mini-games, which were noticeably absent from the previous iteration, make their triumphant return in the forms of Test Your Might, Sight, Strike, and Luck. Test Your Might and Test Your Sight behave just as they have in the past, while Test Your Strike is very similar to the Might game, adding an upper limit for you to balance your power meter. The most interesting mini-game, by far, is Test Your Luck. This can be played with one or two players, and before the match begins a series of slots spin to determine modifiers for the upcoming battle. These can help or hinder one or both fighters, act strictly cosmetically (i.e. zombie fighters), or they can disrupt the entire presentation of the match, like blurring the screen or periodically fading to black. This mode adds so much variety to the typical matches that I played with a friend for nearly two hours and I don&#39;t think we repeated a single combination. <br /></p>
<h2>Round 3</h2>
<p><br />While some may consider The Challenge Tower a mini-game, I argue that the tasks are far too expansive and difficult to be considered &quot;mini&quot; in any way. I haven&#39;t had the opportunity to finish the tower because the game just came out, but I am about one-third of the way through the 300 challenges and I can tell you that due to the sheer variety, this could easily be sold as a standalone title next to some of what we&#39;ve seen on the market (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzmQRtA1qY0">see for yourself</a>). One challenge has Stryker and Johnny Cage tagging in and out while blasting incoming zombies with projectiles. Another battle had Nightwolf facing Scorpion but you can only damage the spectre while he is standing under a light shining down on a portion of the arena. If a challenge is too difficult you can spend some Koins earned in battle or in story mode to move on. <br /><br />However, if you find that your Koin purse is full, you can spend them in the Krypt, unlocking additional fatalities and costumes, along with concept art and renders. Tons of goodies lie in graves and in the stomachs of the dead and dying, and each has a violent (and maybe downright sickening) animation when it&#39;s unlocked. Characters aren&#39;t unlocked in the Krypt like they have been in the past because there are 25 from the start (26 including Kratos in the PS3 version). All of these classic fan favorites are rendered beautifully, and there is no arguing that this is the best looking MK game (and maybe best looking fighter) ever. The arenas are also ones you&#39;ve seen before, but the level of detail that goes into each one is nothing short of stunning. <br /></p>
<h2>Finish Him!</h2>
<p><br />The return to the 2D fighting plane was a great decision by the team at Netherrealm, but the more important decision was the return of the series&#39; iconic, beyond-violent finishers. The Fatalities in this game go so far beyond what we&#39;ve seen before, even the most mild are undeniably cringe-worthy. The buckets of blood, the detailed skeletons and muscle systems, and the overall level of realism take these Fatalities to new level. Each character has two fatalities and another unannounced -ality, while the game also boasts a bevy of impressive stage fatalities. There is also a training mode designed to show you where to stand and the right button combination to violently end your opponent, giving you free reign to practice the finisher over and over, even without the stress of the timer. There really is no more satisfying a feeling after a hard fought win with Smoke over Liu Kang, than filling him with gas and cooking him from the inside out. <br /><br />Mortal Kombat, however, is far more than Fatalities. As I&#39;ve described, the beautiful look of the game, the stellar gameplay, and the bevy of extra modes add a level of depth and replay-ability the last few installments have lacked. Whether you&#39;re playing alone, online, or with a slew of your buddies, there is no denying that Mortal Kombat is back and better than ever.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=870012" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMK: Legacy: Baraka! DVD Plans! Episode 2 Teaser!/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/04/17/mk-legacy-baraka-dvd-plans-episode-2-teaser.aspx2011-04-17T15:07:00Z2011-04-17T15:07:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/3113.baraka-MK-legacy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Director Kevin Tancharoen&#39;s new web series, <i>Mortal Kombat: Legacy</i>, has made quite a splash in its first week, it has over five million views on YouTube and was featured by The New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/arts/video-games/mortal-kombat-legacy.html">The Times article </a>released the first photo of the Tarkatan warrior Baraka (above) and revealed some future plans for the series. <br /><br />Tancharoen says that the success of the series could ultimately lead to a third live-action feature-film, and that Legacy may eventually be released on DVD and/or TV: <br /><br /><i>&quot;We&#39;re launching this production online now in conjunction with the new Mortal Kombat game, but we want to make this series available on DVD and potentially television.&quot;</i><br /><br />The photo of Baraka is a very different look than what we saw in the Rebirth short, proving the claims that Legacy will be much closer to the established Mortal Kombat lore. This has been the statement from the beginning, but now we have some visual proof. I&#39;m not impressed with his look, but I know that promotional photos such as this tend to make heavy costumes look out of place (see The Dark Knight promo photos below).</p>
<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/2816.darkknight_5F00_promo1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size:x-small;">(Batman and Joker promo pictures from <i>The Dark Knight</i>)</span></p>
<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/3365.baraka_2D00_mortal_2D00_kombat_2D00_rebirth.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size:x-small;">(Baraka in <i>Mortal Kombat: Rebirth</i>)</span><br /><br />I&#39;ve also linked this short teaser <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-episode-mortal-kombat/712856">video</a> (via GameTrailers) for episode two (of nine), which will debut on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima">Machinima&#39;s YouTube Channel</a> at 12:01 PDT Tuesday morning. <br /><br />I&#39;m really looking forward to this, let me know in the comments what you think of the photo and teaser!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=860349" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxMortal Kombat: Legacy Episode 1/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/04/12/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-1.aspx2011-04-12T03:16:00Z2011-04-12T03:16:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/3771.mk-legacy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Let me start with a disclaimer: I am a huge MK fan. To put this into perspective, let me list the MK games that I have in my home, in some form or another, at the time of this writing: MK, MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:D, MK:A, MKvsDC, MK9 Demo, and both movies. I love the style, setting, story, characters, etc., so I make sure that I keep up with each new iteration. <br /><br />The debut episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy hit the web at the stroke of midnight here on the west coast (via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima">Machinima</a> on YouTube), so I tuned in to check out this gritty new take on the MK mythos.<br /><br />When <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDKCwEjc6DA">Rebirth</a> was released roughly a year ago, I saw the cinematic future of the Mortal Kombat franchise. It wasn&#39;t just me either, Rebirth currently has many millions of views on YouTube, reposted by various users since its initial release. The real-world feel was such a stark contrast to the franchise&#39;s last live-action effort, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, that it was easy to separate this new vision from the late-90s flop. Many fans were turned off by the fact that Rebirth shied away from the series&#39; fantastical roots, but director Kevin Tancharoen <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/full-details-on-kevin-tancharoens-mortal-kombat-rebirth/">promised</a> that if he were given the opportunity, the magic and mysticism would have a place in his Mortal Kombat. A year later we have the inaugural episode of the web series. <br /><br />Mortal Kombat: Legacy opens with an action packed warehouse/factory battle featuring Sonya, Kano (without his laser producing eyeball.....), Stryker, and Jax. I don&#39;t want to give any spoilers about the plot of the episode, but I do encourage you to check it out. Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan return as Jax and Sonya, respectively, and they do a very good job in these roles. Darren Shahlavi is less convincing as Kano because his Australian accent is plain awful, but I&#39;ll let you decide. The overall look of the episode is impressive, nice set pieces and fancy special effects show the high production value, and the crisp 1080p will please your HD trained eyes. <br /><br />My main complaint is that I expected the episode to be a bit longer. The whole clip is 12:25, but the credits roll right at 10:48. After a year of waiting I was hoping for a little more than 10 minutes because this feels like a tease, but I have to admit, they have me waiting on the edge of my seat for more. Episode 2 will kontinue the story next week, also on Machinima, but if it launches at midnight like this episode did, I&#39;ll be at GameStop picking up my Kollector&#39;s Edition of MK9.</p>
<p>Check it out below and let me know what you think in the comments!</p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this media)</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=848383" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxSome Reasons You May Want A 3DS/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/03/31/some-reasons-you-may-want-a-3ds.aspx2011-03-31T19:11:00Z2011-03-31T19:11:00Z<p>I remember hearing about it and thinking &quot;glasses free 3D?! Can it be done?&quot; Well, the answer is an emphatic yes. The convenient depth slider allows me to adjust the 3D to a level that is comfortable for my eyes. Yes, it&#39;s expensive. Yes, the launch titles are underwhelming. Yes, the jury is still out on how it may affect the long term health of your eyes. Despite all this, I&#39;m very happy with my purchase. Let me tell you why in convenient list form!<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size:medium;">1. The 3D is incredible!</span></b><br /><br />The 3D effect is the main draw for the average consumer and it works very well. Just scrolling through the menu and seeing how images from the tiles you&#39;re tapping pop off the screen is exhilarating. I didn&#39;t think I would be so impressed with the 3D but it&#39;s something that you really have to experience to appreciate. I suggest heading to a retail store (such as Target, where I first played the 3DS) just to feel the machine in your hands and get a sense of how the effect works. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size:medium;">2. Built-in Software</span></b><br /><br />Despite the lackluster launch lineup, the 3DS packs quite an exciting punch right out of the box. Bundled with the handheld is a set of six AR (Augmented Reality) cards. These allow you to play mini-games and snap photos of your favorite Nintendo heroes around your house. One of the mini-games places targets and a dragon on your table for you to shoot. In addition, the Face Raiders games makes the faces of your friends and family your enemies as you move around the room to shoot them down with balls. Also included is the Mii Maker and Mii Plaza, 3DS Camera, and 3DS Sound audio editor. </p>
<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/2772.HNI_5F00_0005.JPG" border="0" alt="" /><br /><span style="font-size:x-small;">Mario on my dining table.</span></p>
<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/2084.HNI_5F00_0015.JPG" border="0" alt="" /><span style="font-size:x-small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:x-small;">A look at Face Raiders</span></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size:medium;">3. StreetPass</span></b><br /><br />When your 3DS is on, even if it&#39;s in sleep mode, it will exchange information with other 3DS&#39; that you <i>pass</i> on the <i>street</i> (obviously). It allows certain games to trade information, even without the cartridge, such as ghost info in Ridge Racer or pictures of your pets in Nintendogs+Cats. Mii information can also be traded and rewards can be collected in the Mii Plaza mini-games. You can toggle the StreetPass function to protect privacy but it&#39;s a lot of fun if there are enough 3DS handhelds around to take advantage of it. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size:medium;">4. The Circle Pad</span></b><br /><br />The circle pad is superior to the PSP nubs and a huge improvement over the traditional D-Pad (which is still present). It feels tight and controlled while also being very easy to swivel around. <br /><br />Beyond these key elements, the 3DS is really a beautiful machine. It plays music, it takes 3D pictures, it comes with a 2GB SD card installed, and much more. Though the launch lineup is lackluster, Ridge Racer 3D and Street Fighter IV 3D Edition are a blast to play. I would highly recommend the 3DS just for the amazing features out of the box but the coming months will be peppered with blockbuster games such as The Ocarina of Time 3D, Mario Kart 3D, a new Mario Title, two Resident Evil games, with an internet browser, and 3DSWare. If you don&#39;t pick one up now I highly recommend that you do when Nintendo decides to sweeten the software pot.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=829597" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspxA+Start?/blogs/members/b/hess_blog/archive/2011/03/31/a-start.aspx2011-03-31T10:31:00Z2011-03-31T10:31:00Z<p><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/resized-image.ashx/__size/610x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-43-57-90-Attached+Files/1108.super_5F00_mario_5F00_bros_5F00_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Countless hours wasted, down the tubes. Frustration built up over years of failing in World 7 or, God forbid, World 8. Stupid pun aside I could never quite master Super Mario Bros. It took me until I was 19, playing through the Virtual Console version, to beat the game. It felt good and I guess I can say that I did it &ldquo;the right way,&rdquo; but following GI&rsquo;s Dan Ryckert on Twitter just changed everything I thought I knew. <br /><br />A+Start. <br /><br />That&rsquo;s all I really needed to know anyway. How could this have eluded me and everyone else I know for so many years? Is it some kind of secret? Should I have known? All of those times Lakitu sniped me from the sky. All those times those **** fish would assault me from below. All the times I simply jumped short and had to start all over. I didn&rsquo;t have to start all over. </p>
<p>Hold down A and press start and you will restart that world back at the first level (i.e. 3-1, 4-1, 5-1....) with a fresh set of lives. (For anyone attempting it on the Virtual Console: Hold 2 and press +)<br /><br />I guess I&rsquo;m not saying that I want those hours back because that game, even in it&rsquo;s frustration, is a blast to play. I guess I&rsquo;m just saying I should have known before now. This is the holy grail of video games. I hope it doesn&rsquo;t melt my face off. <br /><br />A+Start.....</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=828680" width="1" height="1">Hesshttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Hess/default.aspx